Ribbons and Braids
by HOAnubisTS
Summary: They hate each other with a passion. They call for each other's blood. They spit on each other's graves. But somehow, those two are forced together, and uncover an entirely new emotion neither has felt before - love.


**Hey guys. I'm here with a one shot – and yes, it's Arra/Kurda. I've always LOVED this pairing. If you don't like the pairing, you still might like the story, so please read! I wrote this on a plane from Baku to Istanbul… cuz of boredom. :P**

Vanez sighed. He had been roaming the game halls endlessly, desperately looking for someone to talk to. The luck of the vampire wasn't with him – they remained deserted. He stared at the exit longingly, then sighed again.

Footsteps echoed throughout the hall, sending a bout of excitement through Vanez. He rushed to the source – to find Kurda Smahlt, a stack of papers in his hands, heading for the tables.

"General Kurda! Prince-to-be! Buddy!" Vanez exclaimed. Kurda shot him a quizzical look. "How nice to see you here! How was your day?"

"Not now," the blonde vampire grunted. "I need to work on my maps."

"Oh but please!" Vanez said, with a hint of imploration in his voice. "I've been bored out of my mind all day, and-"

"Not now," Kurda repeated. "I'm busy. Maybe tomorrow?" Then he, leaving Vanez slumping behind him dejectedly, headed for the tables.

A few moments later, the brave vampiress Arra Sails walked in to be greeted by an enthusiastic Vanez. "Arra!"

"Hello, Vanez," she replied coolly. "How's it going?"

"At least you're friendlier than General Smahlt," he said.

"And why's Mrs. Princess-To-Be suddenly unfriendly?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows. He nodded into the general direction of the tables, where Kurda sat on his lonesome, his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration.

Arra rolled her eyes. "Isn't that nice – he loves his despicable little maps more than his friends." Vanez let out a hearty laugh. Kurda looked up momentarily, waved at Arra, and almost immediately after looked down at his papers again.

"No one can distract him when he's working on those," Vanez muttered.

A sly grin played on her lips. "We'll see about that." She pranced up to the table and sat next to him. Vanez bit his lip to stifle laughter.

"Hello there Kurda," she trilled and batted her eyelashes.

" 'lo," he said in an undertone.

"What're you working on?" She scooted closer to him, so that her thigh was in contact with his.

He didn't seem to notice. "My maps."

"A map? Can you draw a map to my heart?" Her comment was rewarded by a brief smile. Vanez, who was watching their every move, gaped at her.

He picked up his pen and shaded the corner of the paper. "I think Larten's already done that."

For some reason, this startled Arra. They sat in complete silence, until Vanez's expectant eyes, trained on her, made her speak again.

"So… what is that map of? The tunnels?" she questioned. To her surprise, he put down his pen and looked her straight in the eye. His blue eyes gazed into hers with such intensity, she felt her stomach somersault inside of her.

"Since when are you so interested in what I do?" he interrogated her, somewhat cockily. The words that she had planned on saying had been trapped in the captivity of her throat. Her mouth went completely dry. _What am I going to say? _To her relief, Kurda spoke first. "Yes, this is the map of the tunnels."

She gulped, before suggesting, her voice unsteady, "Maybe… maybe you could teach me to make maps on day." _Why are you doing this? _she reprimanded herself. _Why are you feeling so nervous all of a sudden? Get yourself together, Arra!_

"Perhaps," he smirked. "But you'll have to teach me something in return."

"I would teach you to fight, but you know how to already," she admitted ruefully. "Maybe… " Her mind went blank. What COULD she teach him? _Start from the simplest, Arra._ "Maybe I could teach you to braid hair."

Vanez pursed his lips. On the other side of the hall, Kurda considered it. "Sure, why not? Go ahead, master, I'm all ears."

For some stupid reason, she blushed. She untied the ribbon that was constantly around the end of her braid, and her hair cascaded into neat waves under her shoulders. There was no denying that she looked - if not beautiful - more feminine than she usually did.

"You split your hair into three. Then you take the first side, and put it behind the third. You keep taking this side, tucking it behind this one, take it again, tuck it again… tie the ribbon – and there!" She presented the braid proudly, as Kurda nodded in approval. "Now it's your turn."

The distance between them was so small, she could feel him breathing down her neck. She looked at him carefully for the first time. He had the same expression on his face while braiding as he did when making his maps. His pupils dilated in his crystal eyes, and his eyebrows would knit together, creating three tiny creases.

"So I take a strand of hair," he murmured. "And split it into three. Then I take this one, tuck it in, take this one, tuck it in, take this one…" His eyes flitted from the braid to Arra's eyes.

What he saw flustered him. A week ago, the only thing she felt toward him was hatred. But as he searched her eyes for any cold emotions, all he came across was lust and passion. They looked into each other's eyes, and wordlessly, knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"Hey, Arra, dear," Kurda whispered urgently. He was inching closer and closer to her as they spoke. "Forget the braid. I need you to teach me something I _really_ need to know."

"And what is that?" she choked out.

"This." With that said, he leaned down and placed his lips on hers softly. He was still looking into her eyes – even when the kiss deepened. Vanez hooted with joy in the background, yet somehow they managed to ignore the victorious sounds he was making.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kurda pulled away softly. Arra pleaded silently for him to kiss her again. She had tested this out with many other men – Larten, Mika (that had happened in her early vampire years, one evening, when they both had too much ale) – but none of them had the tenderness and gentleness Kurda had. Their kisses were rough and to the point, lacking the playfulness that his were so full of.

"Hey Arra." He was dangerously close once again.

Something about his proximity made her weak. The only thing she could muster saying was, "Yes?"

"You've taught me well."

**Well? What do you think? Please review! It means a lot to me. **


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